Posted on 09/28/2004 8:07:07 PM PDT by kevhldr
CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - President Bush said in a television interview he does not think he received favorable treatment that allowed him to get into the Texas Air National Guard while many of his peers were drafted to fight in Vietnam. "No. I don't... I'm not aware of it," Bush said in the interview broadcast on Tuesday when asked whether family connections had helped him get a coveted place in the Guard.
He cited comments by the former commander of his Guard unit, Walter "Buck" Staudt, who, according to Bush, "said the other day, publicly, I got no preferential treatment."
Bush made the comments in an interview with Fox's "The O'Reilly Factor." The final installment of the interview will be aired on Wednesday, a day before Bush and his Democratic presidential rival, John Kerry, face off in their first televised debate. Sen. Kerry is a decorated Vietnam veteran.
Bush said he had no regrets about serving in the Guard, adding: "Had my unit been called up (for a tour in Vietnam), I'd have gone."
But he did not directly address the controversy over gaps in his service in the Guard in the early 1970s.
"I fulfilled my duty, and was honorably discharged. I think I had about five hundred and seventy flying hours, and ... I was on active duty for a little over a year and a half and I proudly served," Bush said. "I did exactly what my commanders told me to do."
Questions about Bush's National Guard service have dogged him during earlier political races and re-emerged as an issue this year as Kerry emphasized his own service as a naval officer aboard a river Swift boat during the Vietnam War.
He was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star for saving the life of a comrade and three Purple Hearts for combat injuries.
The White House has accused Kerry and his surrogates of instigating a new round of attacks on Bush's Guard service because Kerry is trailing in opinion polls.
Kerry himself has come under attack by a group called "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth," which had ties to the Bush campaign. In a series of television ads the group cast doubt on whether Kerry deserved the medals he received in Vietnam.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe has derided Bush as "a fortunate son who has spent his whole life receiving special favors and having strings pulled for him," and accused him of refusing to "come clean" about the Guard.
Staudt was mentioned in a now-discredited report on CBS' "60 Minutes." The report cited a memo that claimed Staudt had sought to "sugar coat" Bush's record after he was suspended from flying.
He served honorably, and he was honorably discharged.
Next question.
Nice to read the unbiased report of reuters..I did not know that kerry was a vietnam war hero..how did I miss that before????
cBs nyt ap reuters lat
all in bed for kerry
They just can't help themselves.
Ya know, this "receiving of favors" accusation has been such an overblown news item that it seems nobody has bothered to even ask the logical follow-up question.
Is it really wrong in America for some of us to be blessed enough that we might have had favorable treatment for some reason?
I personally think George W. Bush is the embodyment of an honorable man. No one I know has more integrity than our president.
However, I know in my life there have been times when I received favorable treatment that I never requested or expected. Some of it was because of the family I was blessed into. Some because of my own standards and worth ethic.
To me, it would not be a bad thing to know that George W. Bush received some favor in many ways also. I don't think "favor" has to do with not having humility or honesty. It is something that happens for us.
I don't believe the rumors of his "special" treatment in not going to Viet Nam, but I also wouldn't change my vote if I discovered that he had been treated favorably. Maybe he deserved it!
yes, and don't forget that 'He was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star for saving the life of a comrade and three Purple Hearts for combat injuries' Who is this article about? Give me a break!!!
Did you know that john Kerry served in VietNam?
Huh?
The line below was edited out of the Boston GLobe edition of this Reuters' story.
***
He was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star for saving the life of a comrade and three Purple Hearts for combat injuries. ***
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/articles/2004/09/29/bush_says_he_fulfilled_his_guard_duty/
Please stand by while I connect the dots...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.